Hand-held tools are used in a variety of settings. By their nature, these tools are often small and easy to misplace. Accordingly, numerous devices have been developed to help keep tools in ready-to-retrieve locations.
In some situations, individuals wish to transport tools with them as they travel about. Several clip-mounted carrying devices allow items to be carried easily from place to place, without encumbering an individual's hands during periods of non-use. U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,117 provides an example of this type of device. The '117 device is a golf shoe and golf club cleaning device including a brush that is tethered to a golf bag by spring-loaded cable. The cable retracts into a casing that is removably clipped to a selected golf club bag. Although this type of device may attach a cleaning brush to a golf club bag, the device does not maintain the brush in a preferred orientation with respect to the bag and allows the brush to sway during periods of non-use.
In other situations, transportation of a selected tool is actually undesirable, and movably anchoring the tool is appropriate. U.S. Pat. No. 1,963,326 provides an example of tool securing device for use in these situations. The '326 device discloses an eraser and an associated retrieving device. The '326 device includes a spring-loaded winding reel having an automatic position lock that prevents unwanted retrieval of played out tethering line. The '326 device also includes a suction cup that allows the device to be removably attached to smooth, flat surfaces, such as the exterior of a typewriter. With this arrangement, the '326 allows an eraser to be removably tethered to a typewriter for use while typing a document. Although the '326 device will automatically retrieve an attached eraser and includes a position lock, the '326 device does not position and maintain the retracted eraser in a preferred orientation with respect to the anchoring typewriter.
In other situations, it may be desirable to collect a group of similar tools, such as remote control units, at one central location. Several devices have been designed to movably anchor and organize several devices in this manner. U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,377 discloses an example of this type of device. The '377 device discloses a remote control holder that includes a spring recoil mechanism to extendably tether at least one remote control unit to a movable base. In one embodiment, the '377 device includes several discrete holder regions into which attached remote control units may be placed, allowing organization of the units according to operator preference. Although the '377 device includes discrete holding regions for attached remote control units, the device does not automatically guide the attached remote control units into the corresponding regions.
Thus, what is needed is a tethering and storage device that includes advantages of the known devices, while addressing the shortcomings they exhibit. The device should movably link a staple remover to a selected anchoring surface. The device should also automatically draw an attached staple remover into a housing sleeve after each use. And, the device should automatically guide the staple remover into a safe, easy-to-grasp retrieval or dispensing orientation and maintain the remover in the dispensing orientation in preparation for use.